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Expressions of Interest to host Wikimania 2027 in India: Initial conversation

The Wikimedians of Kerala User Group is excited to initiate a community conversation about the possibility of hosting Wikimania 2027 in India. This marks an incredible opportunity for the Wikimedia movement in South Asia to come together and celebrate our shared mission of free and open knowledge while showcasing our vibrant and diverse cultural heritage.

At this initial stage, the Wikimedians of Kerala User Group and Odia Wikimedians User Group are opening the conversation and welcoming more communities to join hands. Hosting the Wikimania conference in India would not only mark the first Wikimania in South Asia but also provide an opportunity to highlight the region's significant contributions to the Wikimedia movement and open knowledge. As shared in the diff announcement of the Wikimania 2025 and 2026 locations,[1] the goal is to ensure broader regional representation, and India offers a dynamic platform to achieve this vision.

The expression of interest to host Wikimania 2027 & 2028 is up by the steering committee.[2] We envision this conversation as an open forum to discuss feasibility, logistics, and collaborative potential with other Wikimedia affiliates or country groups.

Why India can be an Ideal host for Wikimania 2027?

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With its vibrant diversity, rich cultural heritage, and rapidly growing Wikimedia community, India stands out as an excellent place to host Wikimania 2027. By hosting this prestigious conference of the Wikimedia movement in India, we believe we can showcase the community's commitment to sharing knowledge, fostering open collaborations and highlighting the vibrant FOSS communities in India. This event provides a unique opportunity to engage with a global audience and celebrate the contributions of various communities and foster innovations.

Key Reasons:

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  • Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
India is home to over 1.4 billion people, speaking 22 constitutionally recognized languages and hundreds of regional dialects.
This diversity aligns with the Wikimedia movement’s commitment to supporting multilingual and multicultural free knowledge initiatives.
Hosting Wikimania in India would emphasize inclusivity, particularly for contributors from the Global South
  • Vibrant Wikimedia Community
India boasts one of the largest and most active groups of Wikimedia communities, with contributors involved in projects spanning numerous languages and knowledge domains.
18 Affiliates across the country have consistently demonstrated their ability to organize successful events, including both global & regional conferences & campaigns.
  • Global Accessibility
Strategically located in South Asia, India is well-connected globally, offering convenient travel options for attendees from across the world.
India is a cost-effective destination, making it accessible to a wider range of participants from across the globe.
  • Technological Growth and Innovation
As a hub of technological innovation, few projects and user groups in India provide opportunities to showcase how Wikimedia projects can leverage technology to expand their impact.
Hosting Wikimania here would spotlight efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower knowledge access in emerging economies.
  • Previous Experience Hosting Large-Scale Events
India has successfully hosted major international & regional conferences and events, ensuring the availability of world-class venues, skilled professionals, and a safe welcoming atmosphere for global attendees.
  • Potential Partnerships
India offers opportunities for partnerships with educational institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and Communities to amplify Wikimedia's impact and enhance community programs.

Hosting Wikimania 2023 at Singapore was an amazing opportunity for Asia to shine bright in the Wikimedia Movement and we are keen to bring the opportunity back to Asia in two years from now. Wikimania 2027 in India would celebrate the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity at the heart of the Wikimedia movement, offering a unique platform to bridge global perspectives with local knowledge.

Invitation to Join the Conversation

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  • Before we take this interest to the broader movement space, we invite contributors from across Asia to join hands on the proposal to host Wikimania 2027 in India, emphasizing the need for regional collaboration and shared ownership of this initiative.
Also, having a consortium of a good number of country groups, recognised affiliates, thematic groups or regional leaders for this purpose will ultimately strengthen our proposal from the region.
  • Asian participation ensures the proposal reflects the unique cultural, logistical, and community-specific nuances of the region. It also encourages a sense of solidarity among Asian Wikimedians, aligning with the spirit of inclusivity and representation.
  • As Wikimania aims to celebrate the diverse perspectives of the Wikimedia community, having a team rooted in Asia ensures cultural relevance and logistical practicality for this ambitious endeavor.
  • Also it will help us leverage local expertise, networks, and shared goals. This is a huge responsibility and we need your support to take this forward.

Together, we can showcase the vibrant spirit and capabilities of our region to the global Wikimedia movement.

For any individual questions or concern which you are not feeling comfortable enough to share here, feel free to reach out to:

  • Wikimedians of Kerala UG - wikimedianskerala gmail.com / Odia Wikimedians UG - odiawiki gmail.com

Feel free to suggest edits or add more specific information as necessary! We look forward to your contributions and active involvement in this community discussion.

Warm regards,
Wikimedians of Kerala User Group

Opinion space

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We request your community / user group to participate in this conversation, please join us on this Meta-Wiki page. Any support / oppose / feedback / opinions are happily welcome here.

  • I truly appreciate the efforts being made, but the situation surrounding the Wikimedia Foundation in India is becoming increasingly concerning. Recent court cases have intensified the challenges, and the Indian government has demanded clarity on whether Wikimedia functions as an intermediary or a publisher. This distinction is crucial—intermediaries are protected by “safe harbour” provisions under the Information Technology Act, shielding them from liability for user-generated content, while publishers are directly accountable for the content on their platforms. A shift to publisher status would subject Wikimedia to stricter regulations, increased scrutiny, and significant liabilities, fundamentally altering how it operates in the country. From here, the things appears to be moving from bad to worse, and without greater clarity, it is difficult to remain optimistic about the future.--Jayprakash >>> Talk 19:14, 8 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
  • India's multilingual wiki projects demonstrate the power of linguistic diversity in knowledge sharing. The community's experience in organizing large-scale events, including regional conferences and edit-a-thons, ensures strong local support for Wikimania.By hosting this Wikimania 2027, India can greatly support the global Wikimedia movement and show its leadership in promoting open knowledge and open culture. Kasyap (talk) 13:26, 16 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
  • @Ranjithsiji:, what's your plan? The deadline is this month... Leaderboard (talk) 04:45, 6 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Open Community Call

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This call aims to seek input and assess the overall community sentiment and thoughts from the regional communities before we proceed further with the steps involved in submitting the formal EOI. This is an opportunity to gather your valuable feedback, opinions, and suggestions to shape a strong and inclusive proposal.

  • 📅 Date: Wednesday, January 15th 2025

Your participation is key to ensuring the EOI reflects the collective aspirations and potential of the vibrant South Asian community.
Let’s join together to make this a milestone event for the Wikimedia movement in South Asia.

FAQs space

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1. What is the role of Wikimedians of Kerala UG in this conversation?
For now, the [Wikimedians of Kerala UG] is only taking a lead in initiating this proposal conversation from the region, with the intent to have a prestigious international conference like Wikimania in India. All the communities and affiliates are welcome to provide their feedback and join hands to this initiative to make it a strong and collective voice raised from the region as community consensus is at the core of our submission of intent.
Ref: Host Wikimania 2027 and beyond: Open call for Wikimedia organizers
2. How will hosting Wikimania 2027 impact the South Asian Wikimedia communities?
Historically, India and the Wikimedia communities in India have been one of the most vibrant stakeholders in the global movement. Also, we do have diverse & competent enough individuals among ourselves (as in the South Asian communities), which can take charge of the dream like having Wikimania in the region. Post pandemic, we have seen the vibrant communities gearing up back in conducting & leading many successful projects and campaigns both regionally and globally. We hope that hosting Wikimania 2027 in India will have a generous impact not only in India but in South Asia overall, strengthening the leadership as well as the global visibility.
3. Is there any location preference of cities / states for the venue of the conference?
We do not have a concrete place preference as of now. Depending upon the infrastructural and logistical feasibility; along with community consultations, this will be proposed. Suggestions are welcome here on the meta discussion page with the proper logistical reasonings. We will also take inputs in this regard during the open community call.
4. How can the communities get involved in the process?
As we have mentioned above, the call for interests is opened now by the steering committee till 27th Jan 2025. For the bid proposal from South Asia, we need your support to form a consortium of active affiliates, wikimedia chapters from South Asian countries and thematic User Groups. We request you to facilitate the conversation within your communities and share the outcome with us on the meta page. This will strengthen our proposal going ahead and also to have an idea of potential support groups for future initiatives.
5. What are the next steps after this initial conversation?

  • Gather feedback / support / opinion on this initial conversation on the meta page or if anyone wants to give their opinion anonymously, can send an email at wikimedianskerala@gmail.com / odiawiki@gmail.com. we assure you of confidentiality both for the sender and the content. [Done]
  • Drafting the “Expression of Interest” proposal and making it available for feedback and submission.[Done]
  • Submitting the EOI and preparing for the next steps by the Wikimania Steering Committee[Done]

6. What is the timeline for finalizing the proposal to host Wikimania 2027 in India?

  • The open call for communities : 15th Jan 2025 IST   Done
  • EOI proposal draft : Saturday 16th Jan 2025 to 22nd Jan 2025 IST   Done
  • Draft proposal open for feedback on document: 22nd to 25th Jan 2025 IST   Done
  • Final compiled proposal on meta: 25th Jan 2025 IST
  • Submission on EOI page : 27th Jan 2025 IST   Done
  • Deadline: 27th Jan 2025 11.59 UTC

EOI Draft for review by the community members

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Dear Wikimedians, here is the link [DRAFT-India] WM2027 EOI available for review. This is a comment only document, kindly mark your suggestions and relevant comments by Saturday 25th Jan 2025, India time.

The review period is now closed and final draft is submitted at Wikimania:2027:Expressions of Interest/India

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References

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  1. ↑ Pourzaki, Wikimania Steering Committeeand Mehrdad (2023-09-24). "Announcing the Locations of Wikimania 2025 and 2026". Diff (in en-US). Retrieved 2024-12-03. 
  2. ↑ Committee, Wikimania Steering (2024-12-02). "Host Wikimania 2027 and beyond: Open call for Wikimedia organizers". Diff (in en-US). Retrieved 2024-12-03. 
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